Football: Rhyl FC bag comfortable victory over Porthmadog

Jan 21 2009 by Dave Jones, Denbigh Visitor

RHYL 2 PORTHMADOG 0

WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE

ALTHOUGH Rhyl should have beaten a stubborn Porthmadog outfit more emphatically senior coach Allan Bickerstaff refused to criticise his table-topping side.

“After three weeks without a game we lacked that little bit of sharpness in front of goal, but we set a good tempo from start to finish and did a decent job beating a very decent team,” he said.

“The big positive from today is we created a lot of chances; soon there’ll be a time when we convert all those chances and achieve a big win.”

Saturday’s victory at Belle Vue ensured the Lilywhites maintain a three-point lead at the Welsh Premier summit.

Second-placed Llanelli would have pulled level had they beaten Aberystwyth Town in their game in hand at Stebonheath last night (Tuesday), but the champions have an inferior goal difference to the Lilies.

Rhyl will need to maintain the momentum this Saturday when they face a tricky trip to Haverfordwest with Llanelli home again to Technogroup Welshpool.

Playing their first match of 2009 at the weekend, the Lilywhites gave debuts to left-winger Luke Holden and on-loan goalkeeper Michael Jones, while newest recruit Luke Sherbon made a five-minute cameo appearance from the bench.

Holden was tremendous, laying on both goals and proving a handful for the Port defence throughout; he was a more than worthy man-of-the-match contender.

“Luke (Holden) was outstanding from start to finish,” said Bickerstaff. “He gives us balance down the left but is also a very good footballer and his work-rate is phenomenal.

“Michael Jones did all that was asked of him and it’s up to him now to fight to make the first team place his own, while Luke Sherbon is not just an outstanding player but an outstanding prospect.

“I’m not ruling out the possibility of bringing in more players, we’ve got two weeks of the transfer window left, but I’m more than happy with the squad I’ve got.”

Rhyl could not have made a better start against Porthmadog as after just 30 seconds Holden won a free-kick on the left, swept a deep delivery into the box, and Greg Strong headed powerfully home.

It should have been 2-0 when Rhys Roberts was harshly adjudged to have clipped Jamie Reed in the box, but Matthew Williams’s penalty was brilliantly saved by ex-Rhyl keeper Dave Vickers.

The heroic Vickers superbly denied Williams again before the break with a one-handed stop, but after the penalty saga Port did defend much better.

Holden went close soon after the break with an exquisite free-kick, but as the conditions deteriorated so did the game.

The introduction of substitute Josh Johnson on 70 minutes livened up Rhyl’s attack, the Trinidad and Tobago international going desperately close with a right foot effort.

Finally the hosts made it 2-0 six minutes from time when Holden’s corner was headed in at the back post by Neil Roberts, who picked up the Principality Welsh Premier Player of the Month award for December before the match.

Rhyl: Jones, Stones (O’Neill 86), C Roberts, Horan, Strong, D Williams (Sherbon 85), G Owen, Reed (Johnson 70), N Roberts, M Williams, Holden. Att: 534.